Presidency plans dialogue with militants to end pipeline vandalism – Kachikwu …we'll attack Niger Delta Avengers – Military

The Minister for Information and Culture with the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Monday, said the Federal Government is considering opening a robust dialogue with the Niger-Delta militants on the need to stop militancy in the oil rich region.

The duo who spoke an interactive session with a coalition of civil societies in Lagos, chaired by Dr. Moses Ilo, founder of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, stressed that nefarious activities of militants is currently sabotaging efforts being made by the government to revamp the nation's economy.

Mohammed while lamenting the situation said there was no other solution to the issues happening in Niger Delta other than engaging them in meaningful dialogue.

According to Kachikwu the government has come to realize that rolling out military tanks against the militants would not solve the problem.

'The military barrels cannot stop or solve problem of militancy in the Niger-Delta region. I will have to go back to my brothers, they are our brothers we will go and dialogue with them,' Kachikwu said.

He said the continued audit of the country's daily fuel consumption resulted in weeding out 10 million litres of fake petroleum products that was daily subsidized by the previous administration.

Kachikwu lamented that the fund spent in subsidizing the pretentious consumption daily could have been used by the Federal Government to fix the refineries, roads and other basic amenities across the country which would have helped improve the Nigeria's economy.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, declared Monday that the military would go after the militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, and stop repeated attacks on oil facilities in the region.

Olonisakin spoke shortly after commissioning 12 refurbished gunboats and a 40-bedspace Brigade Gunboats Company at the Okrika Jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The armed forces, he said, would not allow any person or group of persons to destroy the nation's critical infrastructure, pointing out that the military was determined to tackle the situation frontally.

He stated that bombing oil facilities was not the way to address grievances, saying the militants were expected to put their complaints appropriately to government. The defence chief explained that government was exploring various approaches to ensure that the problem of militancy in the Niger Delta was resolved.

He said: 'An issue of this nature is multi-faceted and not just the military approach. The government is exploring all other approaches to ensure that these issues are resolved. 'Military is looking at ways to resolve the issue of these bombings. 'We, the military, have told them (Niger Delta Avengers) that this (attacks on oil installations) is not in the interest of the nation. When you bomb those facilities, those critical infrastructures you are destroying our assets, our resources, as a nation.

'This is not the way to address your grievances. If you have any grievances, you put them appropriately to the government. Of course, we cannot allow people to sabotage and destroy critical infrastructure. 'We will go after them and ensure that we deal with the situation appropriately.'

He pointed out that the nation was challenged by multi-faceted threats, including the battle with Boko Haram terrorists, oil thefts and attacks on oil installations.

On the commissioning of the gunboats, Olonisakin expressed gratitude to the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for assisting the military in putting the equipment in order. 'The repair of these gunboats will no doubt improve the capacity of the brigade to meet its responsibility in curtailing criminal acts in our inland waterways.

'Let me at this juncture appreciate the support of the Niger Delta Development Commission in making these repairs realisable. We appreciate this strategic partnership and support,' he said.

Earlier, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, described the dearth of serviceable platforms and related equipment as one of the greatest challenges facing the Armed Forces.

Buratai also described the Niger Delta terrain as peculiar, saying, 'In order to effectively discharge our constitutional responsibility, our troops require to operate in the riverine areas of the Niger Delta, thereby necessitating some boats and watercrafts.

'The gunboats will no doubt boost the capacity of our troops to fight sea piracy, militancy, oil theft and growing insecurity in the Niger Delta. We will continue to ask for more. We know the challenges are quite enormous. 'With continued support like this, procuring new equipment will further boost our operational capabilities.

'I am calling on other international oil corporations to toe the line of the NDDC to support the Nigerian Army and indeed the Armed Forces.'

Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike has declared that nobody will be shielded from military operations against militants sabotaging the nation's economy.

He stated that all Niger Delta governors oppose the use of violence to settle grievances, pointing out that the governors were billed to meet with the Vice President on 7th of June to discuss and proffer solutions to the security situation in the region.

Wike made the declaration at the Government House, Port Harcourt, when he granted audience to the country's Military High Command led by General Olonisakin.

The governor said: 'What is happening affects our state revenue. We shall help the military to fish out militants blowing up oil pipelines in the region.'

He said the state government was worried about the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta as it negatively affected development in the area. 'As a government, we cannot support economic sabotage. What is going on is economic sabotage.

Production is being negatively affected, with the revenue of states dwindling.

'There are ways to channel grievances and it is wrong to do what will negatively affect the people of the region,' Wike remarked.

He assured the Military High Command that the government and people of Rivers State would support efforts to secure the oil and gas rich area.

While commending the military for the sacrifice they had made in providing security for most parts of the state, he urged them to work towards improving security in Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Abua/Odual and Ogba/Egbema /Ndoni Local Government Areas of the state.

Earlier, Olonisakin said the recent resurgence of militancy in the Niger-Delta was of serious concern to the military.

'Recent activities of the militants have led to the sabotage of oil and gas infrastructure,' he said.

He said the economy of the nation was threatened by the resurgent in militancy, hence the need to stop the insecurity in the region.

Olonisakin urged the governor to reach out to his colleagues to resolve the conflicts in the area.

He said the Military High Command was in the region to interface with the leadership of the Operation Pulio Shield and other service commanders on how to put an end to criminality in the region and protect the nation's economy from total collapse. - Vanguard, National Mirror.